Although anti-Semitism undeniably persists, a healthy majority of Australians support the local Jewish community

T

he smoldering ruins of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, evoke images of Germany in 1939. Charred seforim and siddurim, the bimah reduced to ashes — 70 years of communal life obliterated in flames of hatred that have raged steadily stronger since the tragic events of October 7 around the globe.

One important difference from the situation in Nazi Germany, though: The victims of this attack found warmth and solidarity from their non-Jewish neighbors. Although anti-Semitism undeniably persists, a healthy majority of Australians support the local Jewish community.

Police authorities announced on Monday that they had classified the arson attack on the synagogue as a terrorist act, which increases the resources available to the investigation, and that they were hunting for three suspects.

Early last Friday morning, around 4 a.m., two masked individuals in hoodies set the synagogue ablaze, spreading a liquid accelerant that ignited a fire so intense it required 60 firefighters and 17 fire engines to contain. The destruction could have been far worse were it not for two young men inside the building who, with their cries, managed to scare off the attackers.

That there were two such brave individuals present at that early hour might seem miraculous. But this was the reality at Adass, Melbourne’s most active synagogue, bustling with devotion and study nearly around the clock. Torah learning, shiurim, minyanim from haneitz, Daf Yomi, Amud Yomi, kollelim, halachah classes, and a mikveh — for its members, it was a second home.

“It’s hard to believe it’s gone,” kehillah member Yumi Rosenbaum told Mishpacha.

Amid the devastation, there were undeniable signs of Divine intervention. The most astonishing discovery among the catastrophic material damage was that the sifrei Torah were virtually intact. The aron kodesh protected them, despite flames that reached temperatures of 1,800° F (1,000° C). A few edges of parchment showed minor singes, but none were pasul. One Torah scroll had been saved from the Nazis over 75 years ago, and had now been miraculously spared a second time.

The arson attack came during a wave of criticism directed at local authorities for their alleged inaction toward — even tolerance of — a surge in anti-Semitic incidents since October 7, 2023. With an estimated Jewish population of 120,000, Australia has witnessed escalating hostility.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the synagogue attack as “an act of terror” and promised a thorough investigation, dedicating over 40 personnel to the case. However, many remain skeptical. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) reported 2,062 anti-Semitic incidents in the country since the October 7 Hamas attack over a year ago. While the assault on Adass Israel surpassed all previous incidents, critics argue that a lack of decisive action from authorities has fostered an atmosphere of permissiveness.

That same Friday, prayers were held at the community’s yeshivah ketanah. Despite the grief, plans to rebuild Adass Israel are already underway. Fundraising efforts have drawn support even from outside the kehillah, from many non-Jewish Australians.

“We walk down the street, and people stop us to express their support and their shame that such a thing could happen here,” community members shared. “They tell us, ‘This is an attack on all of us, and we’re all in this together.’ ”

“We are a resilient people,” Yumi Rosenbaum told Mishpacha. “We’ve received messages from around the world offering support, urging us not to tolerate hatred. The best response to this attack is to rebuild a synagogue that is bigger, more beautiful, safer, and filled with even more Torah.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1040)